Vulnerabilities > CVE-2017-11825 - Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerability in Microsoft Office and Office FOR mac

047910
CVSS 9.3 - CRITICAL
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
MEDIUM
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
COMPLETE
Integrity impact
COMPLETE
Availability impact
COMPLETE
network
microsoft
CWE-119
critical
nessus

Summary

Microsoft Office 2016 Click-to-Run (C2R) and Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac allow an attacker to use a specially crafted file to perform actions in the security context of the current user, due to how Microsoft Office handles files in memory, aka "Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability".

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Microsoft
2

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables
    This attack pattern involves causing a buffer overflow through manipulation of environment variables. Once the attacker finds that they can modify an environment variable, they may try to overflow associated buffers. This attack leverages implicit trust often placed in environment variables.
  • Overflow Buffers
    Buffer Overflow attacks target improper or missing bounds checking on buffer operations, typically triggered by input injected by an attacker. As a consequence, an attacker is able to write past the boundaries of allocated buffer regions in memory, causing a program crash or potentially redirection of execution as per the attackers' choice.
  • Client-side Injection-induced Buffer Overflow
    This type of attack exploits a buffer overflow vulnerability in targeted client software through injection of malicious content from a custom-built hostile service.
  • Filter Failure through Buffer Overflow
    In this attack, the idea is to cause an active filter to fail by causing an oversized transaction. An attacker may try to feed overly long input strings to the program in an attempt to overwhelm the filter (by causing a buffer overflow) and hoping that the filter does not fail securely (i.e. the user input is let into the system unfiltered).
  • MIME Conversion
    An attacker exploits a weakness in the MIME conversion routine to cause a buffer overflow and gain control over the mail server machine. The MIME system is designed to allow various different information formats to be interpreted and sent via e-mail. Attack points exist when data are converted to MIME compatible format and back.

Nessus

  • NASL familyWindows : Microsoft Bulletins
    NASL idSMB_NT_MS17_OCT_OFFICE.NASL
    descriptionThe Microsoft Office Products are missing security updates. It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities : - Microsoft has released an update for Microsoft Office that provides enhanced security as a defense-in-depth measure. - A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Office software when it fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could use a specially crafted file to perform actions in the security context of the current user. For example, the file could then take actions on behalf of the logged-on user with the same permissions as the current user. (CVE-2017-11825) - A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Office software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could run arbitrary code in the context of the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take control of the affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. (CVE-2017-11826)
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id103784
    published2017-10-11
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2017-2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/103784
    titleSecurity Updates for Microsoft Office Products (October 2017)
  • NASL familyMacOS X Local Security Checks
    NASL idMACOSX_MS17_OCT_OFFICE.NASL
    descriptionThe Microsoft Office 2016 application installed on the remote macOS or Mac OS X host is missing a security update. It is, therefore, affected by a remote code execution vulnerability that exists in Microsoft Office software when it fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could use a specially crafted file to perform actions in the security context of the current user. For example, the file could then take actions on behalf of the logged-on user with the same permissions as the current user. To exploit the vulnerability, a user must open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Microsoft Office software. In an email attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending the specially crafted file to the user and convincing the user to open the file. In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a website (or leverage a compromised website that accepts or hosts user-provided content) that contains a specially crafted file that is designed to exploit the vulnerability. However, an attacker would have no way to force the user to visit the website. Instead, an attacker would have to convince the user to click a link, typically by way of an enticement in an email or Instant Messenger message, and then convince the user to open the specially crafted file. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Office handles files in memory. (CVE-2017-11825)
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id103744
    published2017-10-10
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2017-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/103744
    titleSecurity Update for Microsoft Office (October 2017) (macOS)